


一生一世 | a whole lifetime

by Nacltyry (Rynosaur)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Language, M/M, Mandarin, Reader-Insert, Self-Insert, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 08:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12032265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rynosaur/pseuds/Nacltyry
Summary: "I'm studying a foreign language and I'm pretty bad at it but I remember a phrase because it reminds me of you (sometimes when we're together I say it under my breath), but you were talking for a long time and wanted to make sure I was paying attention so you said my favourite phrase without context and turns out you heard me all the time and you know what it means / studying the same language oh my gosh-"Submitted to @otp--prompt on tumblr





	一生一世 | a whole lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> I- don't kNOW WHAT THIS IS BUT I HOPE THIS MOTIVATES ME TO LOVE CHINESE????

**一生一世 | yi sheng yi shi**

Mandarin is one of the hardest language to learn. In fact, many say it's the _hardest_ , but that doesn't stop you from trying. It's more difficult than you thought, however, as you can rarely find time in your daily life to practice mandarin. In fact, it has been a few weeks and the only phrase you've probably remembered by heart now is '  _一生一世 '_ which translates to _'_ _a whole lifetime'_. It's a special phrase to you, you guess. Every time you remember _' 一生一世_ _'_ , your mind automatically wanders to Keith, because you want to be with him for a whole lifetime.

You've dropped it around your conversations from time to time. When he finishes talking and gives you a small smile, you mumble _' 一生一世 '_ because you want to see that smile on him forever.

Another time, he had allowed you to cry into his shirt, hugging you close to him. You whispered into his chest, _' 一生一世 '_  because you like his comfort. He might be stoic and seem emotionless, but he isn't and he's extremely caring - and you always want to stay in his arms whenever you feel low.

The most recent was this one time you had to wake him up before he overslept, but you couldn't. He looked so peaceful, so tranquil and you didn't want to wake him up at all. You had said in your softest voice, as you caressed his cheek, _" 一生一世_ _"_  because you wanted to be able to see such a peaceful face, beside you, when you wake up in the future. Always. You pushed some of his fringe away and his eyes fluttered open. Eventually, he was late for whatever he needed to attend but he didn't come back grumpy. He came back with a small smile when he looked at you.

Every single time, you look at Keith, the phrase will pop up in your head. It is probably how it reminds you so much of Keith you remember it so well.

"[Name]?" Keith says as he looks at you, eyebrow raised. You're stoning away and Keith calling you sounds like a faint memeory, so you don't react. You honestly can't remember what's Keith is going on about, but his voice makes you drift into your imaginations, and Keith's idyllic sleeping face flashes before your eyes.

 _一生一世_ , you are reminded again and an echo follows suit.

"一生一世?"

You blink, turning your head to look at Keith who gives you a faint smile, the corners of his lips only tugging up ever so slightly. You have to look again to check if he's smiling, but the soft look in his eyes makes you relax a little. He isn't mad you're stoning while you're talking.

"...what? How - you know Mandarin too?"

Keith shrugs, eyes still locked to yours. "I took some Mandarin classes when I was in the Garrisons as my third language. I'm learning it again." There is a light blush that taints his cheeks and you can't help but go red yourself. Realisation of the situation takes a toil on you and you lean back, creating more distance between you and Keith.

Something in his eyes fade. It goes dull a little and he hesitates, wanting to do something, but ends up deciding it's best if he doesn't.

"Wait, you know... what "一生一世" means?" Your cheeks flare up much more and you finally tear your gaze away from Keith's. You don't dare look at him.

"You say it a lot." His voice is thick in fondness and you feel you can melt there and then from embarrassment and the aura he's emitting.

He knows? All along?

He leans forward, hands cautious as he takes your wrist and pulls you closer to him. "Of course I know what it means. It's one of the idioms I had to memorise... do you really mean it?"

You shutter, unable to form the words as your eyes shift from the floor to the ground, to anything but him. "I... uh... what do you want me to say?"

He doesn't reply for a while and a tense silence falls between the small soace between you and him. You and his lips are inches apart and his gaze makes you grow even redder. You realise, how the gap between you and him are closer than the second before, his grip on your wrist tightening as he tugs you closer to him. You can feel his breathe on your skin and it tickles.

"I-" you quickly say to cut the silence, "- say the word a lot because you remind me of that phrase, I guess... I mean it's a beautiful phrase isn't it?" You force a weak laugh, nervous at what Keith will do next.

Finally, he speaks, "I think it's cute."

Before you can look at him with wide eyes, he leans in to give you a kiss on your cheek, whispering in your ears the phrase. He swiftly pulls away, hands releasing your wrist and he stands. He turns and as quickly as the kiss happened, he leaves.

You can't even remember why you are in the room alone with him in the first place. You can't even remember what he was talking about before. The incident, although a blur, just keeps replaying in your mind like a broken recorder, and you can't help but let that goofy smile show. A small laugh escapes your lips and you know very well how crimson your face is.

When you see him again, he acts like nothing happens around the others, but when they leave before him, he looks back at you and mouths the phrase, along with what you caught to be _" 我爱你 "_ before walking out with the rest of the team.

_**我爱你** | wo ai ni | used sparingly because ' 爱 ' is a very strong word. Usually people use ' 我喜欢你 ' ( wo xi huan ni | i like you ) because ' 我爱你 ' is to describe a much stronger feeling._

**Author's Note:**

> Me *before*: ew chinese. Idc if i dishonour my ancestors... nO  
> Me *after writing this*: chinese is a beautiful language i will love and appreciate it more now


End file.
